the woman-haters-第30部分

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〃Never　you　mind　your　sister。　　You're　talkin'　with　me　now。　　And　you
ain't　got　me　penned　up　in　a　house；　neither。　　By　jiminy　crimps！〃　　His
anger　boiled　over；　and；　to　the　inventor's　eyes；　he　began　to　look
alarmingly　alive。　　〃By　jiminy　crimps！〃　repeated　Seth；　〃I've　been
prayin'　all　these　years　to　meet　you　somewheres　alone；　and　now　I've　a
good　mind　toto〃

His　big　fist　closed。　　Bennie　D。　stepped　backward　out　of　reach。

〃Bascom〃　he　cried；　〃don't〃

〃Don't　you　call　me　that！〃

〃Bascom〃　　The　inventor　was　thoroughly　frightened；　and　his　voice
rose　almost　to　a　shout。

The　lightkeeper's　wrath　vanished　at　the　sound　of　the　name。　　If　any
native　of　Eastboro；　if　the　depot　master　on　the　other　side　of　the
track；　should　hear　him　addressed　as　〃Bascom；〃　the　fat　would　be　in
the　fire　for　good　and　all。　　The　secret　he　had　so　jealously　guarded
would　be　out；　and　all　the　miserable　story　would；　sooner　or　later；　be
known。

〃Don't　call　me　Bascom；〃　he　begged。　　Erplease　don't。〃

Bennie　D。's　courage　returned。　　Yet　he　realized　that　if　a　trump　card
was　to　be　played　it　must　be　then。　　This　man　was　dangerous；　and；
somehow　or　other；　his　guns　must　be　spiked。　　A　brilliant　idea
occurred　to　him。　　Exactly　how　much　of　the　truth　Seth　knew　he　was　not
sure；　but　he　took　the　risk。

〃Very　well　thenAtkins；〃　he　said　contemptuously。　　〃I　am　not　used　to
aliasesnot　having　dealt　with　persons　finding　it　necessary　to
employ　themand　I　forget。　　But　before　this　disagreeable　interview
is　ended　I　wish　you　to　understand　thoroughly　why　I　am　here。　　I　am
here　to　protect　my　sister　and　to　remove　her　from　your　persecution。
I　am　here　to　assist　her　in　procuring　a　divorce。〃

〃A　divorce！　　A　DIVORCE！　　Good　heavens　above！〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　triumphantly；　〃a　divorce　from　the　man　she　was　trapped
into　marrying　and　who　deserted　her。　　You　did　desert　her；　you　can't
deny　that。　　So　long　as　she　remains　your　wife；　even　in　name；　she　is
liable　to　persecution　from　you。　　She　understands　this。　　She　and　I
are　to　see　a　lawyer　at　once。　　That　is　why　I　am　here。〃

Seth　was　completely　overwhelmed。　　A　divorce！　　A　case　for　the　papers
to　print；　and　all　of　Ostable　county　to　read！

〃III〃　he　stammered；　and　then　added　weakly；　〃I　don't　believe
it。　　She　wouldn't　。　。　。　　There　ain't　no　lawyer　here。〃

Then　we　shall　seek　the　one　nearest　here。　　Emeline　understands。　　I
'phoned　her　this　morning。〃

〃Was　it　YOU　that　'phoned？〃

〃It　was。　　NowerAtkins；　I　am　disposed　to　be　as　considerate　of
your　welfare　as　possible。　　I　know　that　any　publicity　in　this　matter
might　prejudice　you　in　the　eyes　of　yourof　the　government
officials。　　I　shall　not　seek　publicity；　solely　on　your　account。　　The
divorce　will　be　obtained　privately；　providedPROVIDED　you　remain
out　of　sight　and　do　not　interfere。　　I　warn　you；　therefore；　not　to
make　trouble　or　to　attempt　to　see　my　sister　again。　　If　you　dowell；
if　you　do；　the　consequences　will　be　unpleasant　for　you。　　Do　you
understand？〃

Seth　understood；　or　thought　he　did。　　He　groaned　and　leaned　heavily
against　a　tree　trunk。

〃You　understand；　do　you？〃　repeated　Bennie　D。　　〃I　see　that　you　do。
Very　good　then。　　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。　　I　advise　that　you
remainerin　seclusion　for　the　next　few　days。　　Good…by。〃

He　gave　a　farewell　glance　at　the　crushed　figure　leaning　against　the
tree。　　Then　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　off。

Seth　remained　where　he　was　for　perhaps　ten　minutes；　not　moving　a
muscle。　　Then　he　seemed　to　awaken；　looked　anxiously　in　the　direction
of　the　depot　to　make　sure　that　no　one　was　watching；　pulled　his　cap
over　his　eyes；　jammed　his　hands　into　his　pockets；　and　started　to
walk　across　the　fields。　　He　had　no　fixed　destination　in　mind；　had　no
idea　where　he　was　going　except　that　he　must　go　somewhere；　that　he
could　not　keep　still。

He　stumbled　along；　through　briers　and　bushes；　paying　no　attention　to
obstacles　such　as　fences　or　stone　walls　until　he　ran　into　them；　when
he　climbed　over　and　went　blindly　on。　　A　mile　from　Eastboro；　and　he
was　alone　in　a　grove　of　scrub　pines。　　Here　he　stopped　short；　struck
his　hands　together；　and　groaned　aloud：

〃I　don't　believe　it！　　I　don't　believe　it！〃

For　he　was　beginning　not　to　believe　it。　　At　first　he　had　not　thought
of　doubting　Bennie　D。's　statement　concerning　the　divorce。　　Now；　as
his　thoughts　became　clearer；　his　doubts　grew。　　His　wife　had　not
mentioned　the　subject　in　their　morning　interview。　　Possibly　she
would　not　have　done　so　in　any　event；　but；　as　the　memory　of　her
behavior　and　speech　became　clearer　in　his　mind；　it　seemed　to　him
that　she　could　not　have　kept　such　a　secret。　　She　had　been　kinder；
had　seemed　to　him　moreyes；　almostwhy；　when　he　asked　her　to　be
his　again；　to　give　him　another　chance；　she　had　hesitated。　　She　had
not　said　no　at　once；　she　hesitated。　　If　she　was　about　to　divorce
him；　would　she　have　acted　in　such　a　way？　　It　hardly　seemed　possible。

Then　came　the　letter　and　the　telephone　message。　　It　was　after　these
that　she　had　said　no　with　decision。　　Perhaps　。　。　。　was　it　possible
that　she　had　known　of　her　brother…in…law's　coming　only　then？　　Now
that　he　thought　of　it；　she　had　not　gone　away　at　once　after　the　talk
over　the　'phone。　　She　had　waited　a　moment　as　if　for　him　to　speak。
He；　staggered　and　paralyzed　by　the　sight　of　his　enemy's　name　in　that
letter；　had　not　spoken　and　then　she　。　。　。　　He　did　not　believe　she
was　seeking　a　divorce！　　It　was　all　another　of　Bennie　D。's　lies！

But　suppose　she　was　seeking　it。　　Or　supposefor　he　knew　the
persuasive　power　of　that　glib　tongue　only　too　wellsuppose　her
brother…in…law　should　persuade　her　to　do　it。　　Should　he　sit　still
in　seclusion；　as　his　late　adviser　had　counseledand　let　this
irrevocable　and　final　move　be　made？　　After　a　divorceSeth's　idea　of
divorces　were　vague　and　Puritanicalthere　would　be　no　hope。　　He　and
Emeline　could　never　come　together　after　that。　　And　he　must　give　her
up　and　all　his　hopes　of　happiness；　all　that　he　had　dreamed　of　late；
would　be　but　dreams；　never　realities。　　No！　he　could　not　give　them
up。　　He　would　not。　　Publicity；　scandal；　everything；　he　could　face；
but　he　would　not　give　his　wife　up　without　a　fight。　　What　should　he
do？

For　a　long　time　he　paced　up　and　down　beneath　the　pines　trying　to
plan；　to　come　to　some　decision。　　All　that　he　could　think　of　was　to
return　to　the　Lights；　to　go　openly　to　the　bungalow；　see　Emeline　and
make　one　last　appeal。　　Bennie　D。　might　be　there；　but　if　he　was
well；　by　jiminy　crimps；　let　him　look　out；　that's　all！

He　had　reached　this　point　in　his　meditations　when　the　wind；　which
had　been　steadily　increasing　and　tossing　the　pinetops　warningly；
suddenly　became　a　squall　which　brought　with　it　a　flurry　of　rain。　　He
started　and　looked　up。　　The　sky　was　dark；　it　was　late　in　the
afternoon；　and　the　storm　he　had　prophesied　had　arrived。

Half　an　hour　later　he　ran；　panting　and　wet；　into　the　blacksmith's
shop。　　The　automobile　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　and
Mr。　Ellis　was　standing　beside　it；　perspiring　and　troubled。

〃Where's　Joshua？〃　demanded　Seth。

〃Hey？〃　inquired　the　blacksmith　absently。

〃Where's　my　horse？　　Is　he　ready？〃

Benijah　wiped　his　forehead。

〃Gosh！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃By　。　。　。　gosh！〃

〃What　are　you　b'goshin'　about？〃

〃SethI　don't　know　what　you'll　say　to　mebutbut　I　declare　I
forgot　all　about　your　horse。〃

〃You　FORGOT　about　him？〃

〃Yes。　　You　see　that　thing？〃　pointing　pathetically　at　the　auto。
〃Well；　sir；　that　pesky　thing's　breakin'　my　heartto　say　nothin'　of
my　back。　　I　got　it　apart　all　right；　no　trouble　about　that。　　And　by
good　rights　I've　got　it　together　again；　leastways　it　looks　so。　　Yet；
by　time；〃　in　distracted　agitation；　〃there's　a　half　bucket　of　bolts
and　nuts　and　odds　and　ends　that　ain't　in　it　yetleft　over；　you
might　say。　　And　I　can't　find　any　place　to　put　one　of　'em。　　Do　you
wonder　I　forget　trifles？〃

Trifles！　the　shoeing　of　Joshua　a　trifle！　　The　lightkeeper　had　been
suffering　for　an　opportunity　to　blow　off　steam；　and　the　opportunity
was　here。　　Benijah　withered　under　the　blast。

〃S…sh…sh！　sh…sh！〃　he　pleaded。　　〃Land　sakes；　Seth　Atkins；　stop　it！　　I
don't　blame　you　for　bein'　mad；　but　you　nor　nobody　else　sha'n't　talk
to　me　that　way。　　I'll　fix　your　horse　in　five　minutes。　　Yes；　sir；　in
five　minutes。　　Shut　up　now；　or　I　won't　do　it　at　all！〃

He　rushed　over　to　the　stall　in　the　rear　of　the　shop；　woke　Joshua
from　the　sweet　slumber　of　old　age；　and　led　him　to　the　halter　beside
the　forge。　　The　lightkeeper；　being　out　of　breath；　had　nothing
further　to　say　at　the　moment。

〃What's　the　matter　with　all　you　lighthouse　folks？〃　asked　Benijah；
anxious　to　change　the　subject。　　〃What's　possessed　the　whole　lot　of
you　to　come　to　the　village　at　one　time？　　Whoa；　boy；　stand　still！〃

〃The　whole　lot　of　us？〃　repeated　Seth。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Mean　I've　seen　two　of　you　at　least　this　afternoon。　　That　Bascom
woman；　housekeeper　at　the　Graham　bungalow　she　is；　went　past　here
twice。　　Fust　time　she　was　in　one　of　Snow's　livery　buggies；　Snow's
boy　drivin'　her。　　Then；　about　an　hour　ago；　she　went　by　again；　but
the　boy'd　gone；　and　there　was　another　feller　pilotin'　the　teama
stranger；　nobody　I　ever　see　afore。〃

Seth's　red　face　turned　pale。　　〃What？〃　he　cried。　　〃EmMrs。　Bascom
ridin'　with　a　stranger！　　What　sort　of　a　stranger？〃

〃Oh；　a　feller　somewheres　between　twenty　and　fifty。　　Smooth…faced
critter　with　a　checked　suit　and　a　straw　hat。　。　。　。　　What　on　earth's
the　matter　with　you　now？〃

For　the　lightkeeper　was　shaking　from　head　to　foot。

〃Diddidwhich　way　was　they　goin'？　　Back　to　the　Lights　oror
where？〃

〃No；　didn't　seem　to　be　goin'　to　the　Lights　at　all。　　They　went　on　the
other　road。　　Seemed　to　be　headin'　for　Denboro　if　they　kept　on　as
they　started。　。　。　。　　Seth　Atkins；　have　you　turned　loony？〃

Seth　did　not　answer。　　With　a　leap　he　landed　at　Joshua's　head；
unhooked　the　halter；　and　ran　out　of　the　shop　leading　the　horse。　　The
astonished　blacksmith　followed　as　far　as　the　door。　　Seth　was　backing
the　animal　into　his　wagon；　which　stood　beneath　the　shed。　　He
fastened　the　traces　with　trembling　fingers。

〃What　in　the　world　has　struck　you？〃　shouted　Ellis。　　〃Ain't　you　goin'
to　have　that　shoe　fixed？　　He　can't　travel　that　way。　　Seth！　　Seth
Atkins！　。　。　。　　By　time；　he　IS　crazy！〃

Seth　did　not　deny　the　charge。　　Climbing　into　the　wagon；　he　took　up
the　reins。

〃Are　y